England and Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
RWC 2027 Groups
Pool A
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Chile
- Hong Kong
Pool B
- South Africa
- Italy
- Georgia
- Romania
Pool C
- Argentina
- Fiji
- Spain
- Canada
Pool D
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Uruguay
- Portugal
Pool E
- France
- Japan
- USA
- Samoa
Pool F
- England
- Wales
- Tonga
- Zimbabwe
